Sealing structure for deep well pumps



^ Dec. 5, 1939. c. R. MCDAANIEL 2,182,730

-SEALING STRUCTURE FOR DEEP WELL. PUMPS Original Filed April 1'7, 1937 Patented Dec. 5, 1939 PATENT oFFicI-z SEALING STRUCTURE FOR DEEP WELL PUlVIPS Charles R. McDaniel, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Original applicationApril 17, 1937, Serial No.

137,444. Divided and this application November 10, 1938, Serial No. 239,867

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a sealing structure for deep well pumps and more especially pumps of the general character as comprised in my pending application Serial No. 137,444 led April 17, 1937, patented December 27, 1938, No. 2,141,957, and of which the present application is a division.

It is an object of the invention to provide a Sealing structure of this kind including a normally retracted and expansible lock ring for holding a sealing element in applied or working position, together with means for controlling the effectiveness of the lock ring.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved sealing structure for deep well pumps whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be denitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the acco-mpanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a sectional view of the upper portion of a deep well pump including a sealing structure constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the pump barrel and the adjacent portion of the production tubing illustrating the seat for the sealing element and the seat for the locking ring as comprised in the sealing structure as herein embodied;

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the packing ring unapplied.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing, I0 denotes a pump barrel connected by the coupling I5 with the lower end portion of a production tubing 46. I'he barrel I0 above the upper inlet ports I4 thereof has its bore enlarged whereby is provided an annular internal seat I6 with which has close contact the inserted or inner end of a sealing element I1. The outside Aconiiguration of the element I1 is such as to snugly fit within the enlarged portion a of the barrel IIJ. Immediately adjacent its upper end the barrel I0 is provided with an annular groove I8 which serves as a seat for a lock ring I9. Working within the pump barrel IIJ and the adjacent end portion of the production tubing 46 is a hollow plunger operating rod 24, the lower end portion of which rod has associated therewith a plunger assembly (not shown) preferably of a type as comprised in my pending application Serial No. 137,444.

The rod 24 snugly passes through the sealing element I1 and the upper end portion of the element I1 has its bore gradually enlarged to provide a substantially frusto-conical seat 31 which receives the tapered or similarly shaped lower end portion 38 of the yoke member 39 associated with the upper portion Yof the rod 24 and in which is also arranged the travelling valve 45 preferably of 1 the type shown in my pending application Serial No. 137,444.

The interior diameter of the lock ring I9 in its normally contracted form is slightly smaller than the exterior diameter of the lower or'vfree extremity of the tapered portion 38 of the yoke 39 and this extremity of the portion 38 is provided with a surrounding peripheral groove b in which the' ring I9 will seat when in its normally contracted form. The tapered portion 38 of the yoke 39, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1, passes from above through the ring I9. After the element I1 has been seated on its seat I6 and the yoke 39 lowers, the tapered portion 38 of the yoke eX- pands the lock ring I9 into the groove I8 and the annular shoulder c on the yoke 39 immediately above the tapered portion 38 contacting or seating on top of the lock ring I9 to hold such ring tightly in position. It is believed to be apparent that as the tapered portion 38 of' the yoke 39 enters the seat 31 at the upper 'end of the elementA I1,the lock ring I9 will contact with the upper' end of the element I1 thus assuring a proper engagement of the ring I9 within the slot I8 as such` ring is expanded; v

As is illustrated in Figure 1, this lock ring I9 when engaged Within the groove I8 aords a positive lock for the sealing element I1 and which lock may be easily unlocked by raising the yoke 39 to permit the ring I9 to contract. As the free extremity of the tapered portion 38 of the yoke 39 passes upward the ring I9 will engage within the seat b thus preventing the ring I9 from dropping off and to hold it in position for the neXt locking of the sealing element I1. f

Although not shown, the sealing element I1 may be provided both exteriorly and interiorlyV with suitable packing to coact with the adjacent wall of the barrel Ill and the exterior surface of the ro'd 24.

The sealing structure, as herein disclosed, is of particular importance in connection with a deep well pump such as particularly described and claimed in my pending application Serial No. 137,444 as such element I1 serves as a partition 55 between the operating barrel and the production tubing. This sealing element also carries the Weight of all uid within the production tubing 46 thereabove so that the plunger of the pump mechanism is free of hindrance from such weight and pressure. It is to be further noted that sand settling out of the fluid in the production tubing will be trapped above the sealing element and thus prevented from causing the plunger to stick.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a sealing structure for deep well pumps constructed in accordance With my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modication without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a pump, the combination of; a barrel having a seat for a sealing element in its upper end; a sealing element for seating in said seat having a frusto-conical seat in its own upper end; said barrel having an annular groove immediately adjacent the upper end of said Sealing element; an expansible lock ring of less normal diameter than the diameter of said groove for seating in said groove and preventing said sealing element from leaving its seat; a frusto-conical lock ring controlling element for expanding said lock ring into said groove and for permitting the contraction of said lock ring out of said groove as it is respectively moved into or out of the irustoconical seat of said sealing element; and a rod movable through the sealing element.

2. In a pump, the combination of a barrel adapted to have its upper end secured to a string of production tubing, and having an interior seat formed in its upper end and an interior annular groove substantially semi-circular in cross section formed above the seat; an expansible lock ring the normal diameter of Which is less than the diameter of said annular groove; a sealing element adapted to seat in said seat and to separate the interior of said barrel from said production tubing; a locking element operable from the upper end of the production tubing adapted to carry said lock ring, to selectively expand the ring into the ,A annular groove immediately above the upper end of said sealing element, to permit the contraction of the ring away from the annular groove, and to remove it from the upper end of the barrel; whereby the sealing element may be locked on its seat or be freed to move out of its seat, at will; and a rod movable through the sealing element.

3. In a pump, the combination of a barrel having a seat for a sealing element formed in its upper end and having an annular groove substantially semi-circular in cross section formed in its wall above the seat; a sealing element adapted to seat on said seat, and having a substantially frusto-conical seat formed in its upper end, its upper end extending to a point immediately adjacent said annular groove; a lock member adapted for attachment to an operating rod, its lower end adapted to fit the seat in said sealing element, and having an annular groove formed in its exterior surface near its extreme lower end; an expansible lock ring of a size to normally iit snugly within the annular groove on the lower end of said lock member, and adapted to contact the upper end of said sealing element as the lock member moves into its seat in the sealing element, and to thus be expanded by the frustoconical end of said lock member into the annular groove of said barrel; whereby said sealing element is positively locked on its seat as long as said lock member remains in its seat, but is released when said lock member is moved upward due to the contraction of said lock ring and its consequent movement away from the annular groove in said barrel; and a rod movable through the sealing element.

4. In a pump, the combination of; a barrel having a sea-t for a sealing element in its upper end; a sealing element for seating in said seat having a frusto-conical seat in its own upper end; said barrel having an annular groove immediately adjacent the upper end of said sealing element; an expansible lock ring of less normal diameter than the diameter of said groove for seating in said groove and preventing said sealing element from leaving its seat; a frusto-conical lock ring controlling element for expanding said lock ring into said groove and for permitting the contraction of said lock ring out of said groove as it is respectively moved into or out of the frusto-conical seat of said sealing element, the outer portion of the controlling element having means to hold the ring thereon after the ring has contracted; and a rod movable through the sealing element.

CHARLES R. MCDANIEL. 

